116 ELISHA KENT KANE. 



me in my intention of wintering in the actual position of the 

 brig ; and I proceeded, immediately on our return, to organize 

 parties for the fall, with a view to the establishment of provi- 

 sion-depots to facilitate the further researches of the spring. 

 In selecting sites for these and the attendant travel, our par- 

 ties passed over more than eight hundred miles. The coast 

 of Greenland was traced one hundred and twenty-five miles 

 to the north and east, and three caches were established at 

 favorable points. The largest of these (No. III. of chart) 

 contained eight hundred pounds of penimican ; it was located 

 upon an island in latitude 79 12' 6" N., longitude 65 25' 

 W., by Messrs. McGary and Bonsall. These operations were 

 continued until the 20th of November, when the darkness 

 arrested them. Our brig had been frozen in since the 10th 

 of September. We had selected a harbor near a group of 

 rocky islets in the southeastern curve of the bay, where we 

 could establish our observatory, and had facilities for pro- 

 curing water and for daily exercise. We were secure, too, 

 against probable disturbance during the winter, and were suf- 

 ficiently within the tidal influences to give us a hope of libe- 

 ration in the spring. 



"As we were about to winter higher north than any 

 previous expedition, and, besides a probable excess of cold, 

 were about to experience a longer deprivation of solar 

 light, the arrangements for the interior were studied care- 

 fully. The deck was housed in with boards and calked 

 with oakum. A system of warmth and ventilation was 

 established; our permanent lamps were cased with chimneys, 

 to prevent the accumulation of smoke ; cooking, ice-melting, 

 and washing arrangements were minutely cared for; the dogs 

 were kennelled in squads, and they were allowed the alternate 

 use of sn^w-houses and of the brig, as their condition might 

 require. Our domestic system was organized with the most 



